Potential in every face

Each day during the week I walk through Japan Town, the Fillmore, and parts of the Western Addition. The Raymond Kimball Playground has recently received a much needed makeover and is now alive with kids and coaches. The evenings are filled with activities of every sport; soccer, rugby, baseball, football, and track. There are children of every color and age group. Each evening I see a slender young woman at the pitching mound. She throws ball after ball in an amazing display of underhand fastball. Her coach/mentor/adult catches the balls and returns each with soft words of encouragement. She makes subtle adjustments and throws again. Each morning there are joggers, walkers, a few dogs, and the resident homeless on the playing fields and on the adjacent park benches and grass. As I come out of the park and walk up O'Farrell St.I pass the newly re-furbished San Francisco Bay Academy, a top ranked middle school for grades 5 through 8. There website says their Mission is to prepare their students to "succeed in college preparatory high schools, colleges, and the world beyond". Now that school has started back, I see so many fresh faced youngsters arriving at this school by 7 AM,carrying books, backpacks, and musical instruments. They arrive by car, on foot, by bus and skateboard and bike. I see the future in them - it is written on their beautiful young faces as they reluctantly say good bye to parents and eagerly greet their friends. I can't help wonder who will be the lucky ones to actually make it to college. Sometimes I make up a Homelife and a future for them, using my daily observations and my imagination. This Scholarship fund could be the turning point for any one of these children or countless others like them in our beautiful city. This walk is my daily reminder of why I am doing this.

Company 8/30/2011

Occurs to me others may want to do a few steps too. The story of St.James has inspired pilgrims for 1000 years. Perhaps you will find your own inspiration. The spiritual quality of my own path cannot be denied.

Today I requested the time off from my job. Keep your fingers crossed my boss approves.

"from contentment with little comes happiness" an African proverb 8/29/2011

I took a peak at my new guidebook last evening just before going to bed in my lovely comfortable home. This proverb lept at me like a playful kitten all night and by morning was a rather grumpy lioness. Advice abounds: 1. Don't carry more than 2 stones. 2 stones?

The world knows 8/28/2011

At least I hope it is true. I sent out an email today to share my blog and my dream.

Maria 8/28/2011

My inspiration for walking the camino is Maria. We met today at Squat & Gobble on west portal, in the very thick fog. She brought me two books- The Pilgrimage Road To Santiago & A Pilgrim's guide to the Camino de Santiago. We made plans to meet at REI on Friday to look at labor day sales for equipping ourselves. We also chose April 2012 as our target departure. Today, Maria filled my pockets with curiosity and my soul with yearning; yearning for this journey to begin.

Window of Opportunity 8/27/2011

I dove through the window today, the window of opportunity.  In 2012, I am planning a pilgrimage in Spain along the route to Santiago de Compastela.  This is a personal pilgrimage for me, certainly, but also a way to remember the man who gave to me two beautiful children and to the world two productive and caring human beings. 

As I stumble along my learning curve,  I'll show you the route and I'll figure out how to get us all there.